Never Forgotten Soul
by The Rising Phoenix
Summary: Set after "Firebird," but before the next episode airing May 8th, 2016. What if there was someone even Henry couldn't save? What does Hades have hidden up his sleeve? Can Emma be the Savior once again? First OUAT fix! Please Review! Rated T simply to be safe, but is probably more along the K side.
1. Ch 1 - The Return Home

_(A/N: Hi Everyone! This is my first OUAT fic, even though I've got two others in progress, and hit with writer's block. Hopefully this won't fall into those depths either. I wrote this hours after the episode aired, and wrote 2 chapters within an hour alone. Clearly I needed to get it out of my head. :-)_

 _ **DISCLAIMER** : . I own nothing except the expansion on the plot. Everything else belongs to ABC/The Creators of OUAT._

 _No copywriter infringement intended whatsoever, anything else s pure coincidence. Thanks!_

 _ **SPOILER WARNING** – Up Through 5-1-2016's episode: "Firebird."_

 _I hope you all enjoy!_

 _Please read and review! Thanks!_

 _-The Rising Phoenix.)_

 **Never Forgotten Soul** –

Set after "Firebird," but before the next episode airing May 8th, 2016. What if there was someone even Henry couldn't save? What does Hades have hidden up his sleeve? Can Emma be the Savior once again? First OUAT fix! Please Review! Rated T simply to be safe, but is probably more along the K side.

 **Chapter #1** – The Return Home

One by one from the Underworld, Regina, Robin, and Henry appeared home, near the clock-tower in Storybrooke. They waited for for David, and Emma to come through the portal.

Soon, David appeared, but alone.

"Grandpa! I'm glad you're okay too." Henry said hugging him. "Where's Mom?" Henry soon asked.

"She should be right be hind me, Henry" Reassured David. He wouldn't tell Henry, but was worried when Emma didn't go with him.

A few seconds later, Emma came through the portal and appeared next to David.

She gave a small, watery smile, hugging Henry, then David. Regina too.

"Emma, I'm sorry, about Hook." Said Regina in earnest.

"Thanks." Emma said quietly, not willing her voice to catch in her throat.

"Look, it's been a long day; or who knows how long we've actually been down there." David replied. "Let's go home, rest, grab a quick bite to go from Granny's."

"Not hungry." Emma commented, flatly.

"No, you have to eat." David said.

Emma just looked at him.

Had he not understood what his daughter just went through, _again_ , losing someone she loves, to anyone else outside of this group, Emma would have looked almost pathetic.

"I agree." Henry said, worried for his mother.

"Me too. Emma you need to eat, and rest."

"I don't want any of that. I just want Killian." She squeezed her eyes shut, unwilling to cry, but worried that her armor – real or otherwise would fail her.

David took his daughter into his arms and held her tightly as she cried.

"Come on, let's go see your Mother and brother." David said softly, stroking Emma's long blonde hair.

Emma said nothing, but let David lead her towards the apartment.

Regina took Henry, saying they (Robin included) would grab food and bring it back.

David, Henry, and Regina felt bad for Robin. He was still processing how Regina can suddenly trust Zelena, Zelena and the baby, and Zelena, with the baby _and_ Hades.

As Henry jogged ahead with Granny's in sight, Regina strolled with Robin, as she explained the more recent events that happened with Zelena and their mother Cora.

"I still have a headache…And wish for an ale."

Regina smiled a bit in amusement. "I'm sure Granny may have something on tap."

 _The Charming's Loft_ -

"Good, hope she's got a full and fresh batch." Robin half grumbled.

Snow White was drinking some iced hot cocoa, as baby Neal slept next to her on the sofa. It was early Spring, but being in the Underworld made it too hot for her liking.

Soon, David and Emma quietly walked in.

"You're back! Emma, David! How I missed you so much!" Snow said, making sure Neal was safe, before getting up to hug her husband and daughter.

Snow held Emma tight, sensing something was wrong.

"Where's – " David shook his head to cut her off.

Emma just held on tighter to Snow, took a deep breath, then stepped out of her mother's embrace, as she glanced at Neal walking by him, smiled, and walked upstairs of the loft.

Snow watched her in concern. Emma almost seemed…hollow. A shell of her former self. Her eyes darted quickly to Neal, then David. Her expression demanded an explanation.

"Hook...Didn't make it out to say the least…Hades sent Emma and Hook on a wild goose chase for Ambrosia, only for them to realize it was a trap. Cruella and The Blind Witch trapped all of us too, to try and prevent us from getting home."

"Oh No…" Snow whispered in concern, huggind David tighter.

"Emma…..She's not dealing is she?"

"Nope, not really. She'll have her bouts with crying, but they are few and far between."

Both parents took a deep sigh, as they held each other, before moving to the couch to sit by Neal.

"I may not have liked him much, but I learned to respect him. I started to see why she loved him. At the end of the day, he had a good heart. He was a good man."

" _Was_?" Snow replied, her authoritative tone as a bandit creeping back into her voce. "Since when does this family ever give up on Hope?"

"Well…Never. But right now I think we are all just too much at a loss of what to do next."

"It's because you've all been down there way too long."

"How long exactly?"

"Since I got back? A week."

"Oh, you must be kidding me?" David grumbled in annoyance.

"Could have been worse."

"Very true, but still."

"Any new insights Snow?"

"No., but I'm sure we will think of something, now that you're all not down there, and it's been Neal and I to think of something."

"You mean worry."

Snow gave a half serious glare.

"Hey, you were the one who worried, rightfully so, but worried too much over Regina before Emma was born. – Again, rightfully so, but I was too worried about your stress."

Snow's face changed into a wistful smile. "Yeah, I know. But now I'm more concerned about Emma."

"Me too." David said, as he held Snow in his arms, but couldn't take his eyes off the staircase where Emma had ascended minutes earlier.

"I'm supposed to protect her, right?" David suddenly commented in question. Snow thought she heard a slight catch in his voice.

"You do David, what are you talking about?"

"So why can't I protect her form heartbreak?"

Snow didn't have the answers, which they both wanted. But she squeezed his hand, and rested her head on his shoulder, as he laid his chin atop her head in silent contemplation.

 _(A/N: Please Review! Thanks! ~TRP~)_


	2. Ch 2 - Names and An Unsavable Soul

_(A/N: Hi Everyone! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! Thank you for all those who reviewed and/or read!_ _Here is the second. Please enjoy! Don't forget to review! Thanks! ~The Rising Phoenix~)_

 **Chapter 2** – Names and An Unsavable Soul

 _Previously on Never Forgotten Soul_

" _I'm supposed to protect her, right?" David suddenly commented in question. Snow thought she heard a slight catch in his voice._

" _You do David, what are you talking about?"_

" _So why can't I protect her from heartbreak?"_

Upstairs in the loft, Emma cried silently for Hook; crying herself to sleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow. She played with the ring he gave her. It was much too big to fit on any of her fingers. She tied to the shoelace that rested on her wrist.

That was all she could think of before sleep dragged her into its (hopefully peaceful) dark depths.

"Mom, you know how I was working to write everyone in the Underworld their unfinished business?" Henry said to Regina.

"Yes."

"Well, I figure I can still do that while I'm up here. I am the Author, right?"

Regina gave a quick glance at Robin to see if he thought the same thing.

"In theory, yes. You can try…"

"And I know just the person I'm helping next." Henry said, a smile on his face.

"That one? No." Said a voice, just entering the diner.

Regina glared, her lips thinning into a straight line.

"What do you mean?" Henry asked.

"I'm afraid that soul you can't write unfinished business for."

"Why not? I have to!" Henry said, passionately.

"But you can't. That is something only the unfinished business can fix."

"But how, if I don't write it?" Henry asked.

"It will come. In time."

Henry looked at Regina and Robin, then at Hades in confusion and frustration.

"I know it's having too much power, but what good is being the Author, if I can't help people move on from what's keeping them there, especially fi they don't know it?"

"Oh, trust me, this soul knows the unfinished business that's keeping them trapped down there. It's up to the Unfinished Business to figure it out – and if the Unfinished Business is told, well, the soul will never move on."

"Why not?" Robin asked, speaking for the first time about any of this.

"Because, this particular soul is special. The unfinished Business needs to be the one to realize it, and go to the soul it's caused to be trapped down there. The soul obviously can't go seeking for it. It needs to be one of pure recognition, and well that, and some other thing is involved. I am not quite sure, nor do I care. But neither here nor there…"

"But we just got _back_ from The Underworld…How are we to get back down there?" Robin questioned.

"You can't do that Hades! You're out of the underworld now, you have no control over it anymore, that world, or it's souls!" Regina said.

"Ah, but this particular soul, I _do_ dear. The only one I have left." Hades said, an arrogant smile to his face.

Henry rolled his eyes, turning away in frustration, and asked Granny for a hot chocolate with cinnamon.

Regina pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration, and Robin rolled his eyes, looking to the Heavens to keep his temper in check. He crossed his arms in frustration.

"Where's Zelena and the baby?" Regina asked, sensing Robin was not in the mood to talk.

"Right here." Zelena said, as she walked through the door with her and Robin's baby in her arms.

"And…Well I never thought I'd be the one to think of such a name, but considering the last few hours, well, I've been inspired." She said to Robin and Regina, all but rambling happily.

Robin arched an eyebrow, ready to internally cringe at the baby's possible name.

"Well, Zelena, being as it is _our_ baby, what were you thinking? I've got a few in mind myself."

"Hope"

"What?" Robin asked, before he could stop himself. His outburst wasn't of anger, but of pure surprise.

Well that was the last name he even though he'd hear her pick let alone like it…Truth be told that was the main name he was considering, with only about two others.

"What do you think?" She asked Robin, who was still a bit stunned. "Hmm? What do you think of that for a name, little darling?" Zelena said to the baby, who cooed in her arms.

"Zelena," Robin said softly, to gain her attention. Zelena looked up with a smile. "Hope is perfect." Robin said with a smile.

"That's your name little girl. Hope." Zelena said. She saw Robin wanting to hold her, but not quite making the motions (moving forward, reaching out). She knew he was being respectful of her time with the baby, even though he didn't trust her as much as Regina came to.

"Do you want to go see Daddy?" Zelena said, ready to pass baby Hope to Robin.

Robin had a smile on his face, as he gathered Hope into his arms.

"Hello Hope. What a perfect little name for such a beautiful little girl." Robin said, the light shining in his eyes with love for his daughter.

'Thank you Robin."

"For?" Robin asked genuinely.

"For trusting me with her. I know it is hard…" Zelena decided not to include Hades in that statement. He didn't need to be included, even though he was standing right there. It was something everyone understood, and hadn't needed to be said aloud.

Robin nodded his head as if to say "You're Welcome," before turning and sitting at the booth Henry was waiting patiently in. He was staring out the window in contemplation of Hades words.

"So, let's cut to the chase Hades, what about Hook?" Regina said, getting down to business.

Hook made his way out of the depths of the Underworld's lowest point.

He hung out by the cliff of eternal light or eternal damnation. He just stared.

He made a promise to Emma that she wouldn't be his unfinished business. He intended to keep it.

So he wasn't exactly sure, other than Hades, and that he did sacrifice himself to save Emma, and the world from all the Dark Ones, why he was still there – what _was_ his unfinished business?

"Staring at that won't help ya." Said a voice in the shadows behind him.

Killian didn't bother to look back, sitting against a rock pillar at the mouth of the entrance – away from the edges.

"Don't bother, mate. Just, let me be please." Hook replied, his eyes almost in despair.

"Just lettin' ya know of something I've already done, countless times and it's gotten me nowhere. So, what's your unfinished business?"

"I don't know yet, yours?"

The soul sighed. "A woman I loved."

"Been there, working on it not being my own."

"Yes, but is your unfinished business trying to figure out a way she can save herself?"

 _(A/N: Please Review! Thanks! ~TRP~)_


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